NBTC may shut down consumer rights panel
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission's broadcast committee will preserve some of the goals of its consumer-rights subcommittee even though that panel could die an untimely death, its chairwoman says.
At the NBTC’s monthly board meeting today, one of the key items on the agenda is a plan to shut down the consumer-affairs subcommittee after only a year of operation. Established last December 30, the panel had originally been assigned a three-year tenure, but the commission is under pressure to improve its efficiency and cut costs, after public questions on overspending.
The consumer-rights subcommittee comprises 11 members from various sectors and organisations such as representatives from the Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Monitoring Development Programme and the Confederation of Consumer Organisations.
However, a consumer-rights group and scholars told a forum on Monday that they were not impressed with the NBTC’s first year, particularly in ensuring fairness in the market for both industry players and customers.
Supinya Klangnarong, chairwoman of the subcommittee, said it had dealt with more than 82 per cent of the 437 complaints it had received from consumers about television operators. Most of the complaints were about the inability to access live broadcasts of the Euro 2012 soccer tournament.
She said the NBTC had learned from the Euro 2012 fiasco and put into force a number of new regulations, such as the "must have" and "must carry" rules.
In addition, the broadcasting committee last month had begun the process of licensing cable and satellite TV operators. Under this process, licensed operators must comply with the NBTC's regulations on content and commercials. Meanwhile, unlicensed operators face five years' imprisonment or a Bt5-million fine, or both, plus a Bt50,000 daily fine until they comply with the regulations.
Because the NBTC has received a number of complaints about false advertising, particularly related to pharmaceutical products, aired on cable and satellite TV channels, Supinya said the commission would work more closely with the Food and Drug Administration and the Office of the Consumer Protection Board to reinforce health regulations.
The NBTC plans to enhance its call centres and complaint registration and monitoring systems as well as to developing school programmes to promote media literacy for youngsters.
